The Insights & Inspiration Leading to Spark Change with Connie Maday
On This Episode of Spark Change
Connie Maday shares some insights and inspiration and also gives a bit more of her personal story that led to the creation of the Spark Change Podcast. Listen as she dives into the topic of inspiration and leaves you with some ideas to consider.
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Helping students discover their spark, their passion, their why, is the reason I chose education. Throughout my teaching career, I have been privileged to learn from over 1,000 students in the K-6 grade setting.
As the world shifted through Covid, I felt called to realign my priorities of how I show up for myself and others and provide support in a new way. This is how Spark to Empower was born. The vision is to build a collaborative movement that supports parents, educators, and youth who are looking to deepen their consciousness and stay grounded with purpose. The world needs change makers who are rooted in empathy and compassion.
I build relationships and inspire mindset shifts needed to empower our youth to be innovative and successfully embrace all that life brings each day.
As a mother of three young children I’ve learned that parenting is an ever-flowing journey, there is no one-size-fits-all method, in fact there is so much information out there that it can feel overwhelming when trying to decide what to do, where to turn, and how to find answers to the challenges we all face. My hope is that the resources and inspiration shared on Spark to Empower will provide you with the knowledge you need to move through the unknown with more grace and ease. It takes a village and there is a community of inspiration awaiting you.
About the Host
Connie Maday
Founder of Spark to Empower and Spark Change Podcast
Listen to Other Episodes
Hello and welcome back to Spark to Empower.
I’m Connie Maday. Educator, Mother, Entrepreneur.
Today in this episode of insights and inspiration I’m going to dive into a topic, share a short story, and follow it up with some distilled wisdom from thought leadership to empower you to step into your day with more purpose and confidence.
Let's get started.
Today we are going to talk about inspiration.
What is inspiration? What does it mean?
Inspiration is the process that happens in your brain where you feel or do something creative.
Have you ever stopped to pay attention to when you feel inspired? When you have that flash, that idea or the desire to do something? Try something new?
I know, I hadn’t really either.
But, as kids it starts early- think about all the ideas kids have.
Maybe it was to build that flying parachute that could sail down the stairs, create the magnet tower using every last piece, or perhaps climbing the chimney, making it a rock wall. Or trying to create that new “look” with your dad’s suits with your favorite green shoes, creating your very own cartoon character for your comics, or choreographing the dance steps for the school play. You get the idea. Maybe you’re writing poems, songs, or painting your ideas onto canvases? Maybe you had an idea to create an alarm clock using what you know about coding and legos. Inspiration has many forms- there is no one way to show your creative expressions. But- in short: inspiration leads to ideas. Or is it - ideas are inspiration? Hmm, something to think about.
For me- I find I’m inspired in a lot of ways: stepping into nature, connecting with friends and family, sharing conversations with people I don’t know, listening to music, cooking, painting, jumping in the ocean, hiking, biking, running, and always diving into an inspirational book.
So- here’s a short story about one of my favorite inspirational books- it’s always in my book stack to remind me of what I’m capable of.
It’s written by Kobi Yamada who is a multiple New York Times bestselling author. I’m sure you’ve heard of him- because his books are all over the world!
He’s got one of the top books, on Amazon. What Do You Do With An Idea?- is a book I’ve used teaching all ages - It’s one of my favorites!
It has sparked so many powerful conversations about life and believing in yourself.
So, I’ve been an educator for almost two decades and most recently filled the role of teacher librarian where I worked toward collaboratively bridging the classroom, literacy, specialists, and STEM in a new way. Basically I was working with all staff - and I really enjoy working with people, so it was so much fun and a really great challenge. Teacher librarians rock! Make sure to get to know yours, because they are often an untapped resource.
Like all educators- Covid required us to constantly pivot and I took on other roles to support parents, teachers, and students. During the last five or so years I’ve been starting to think about other ways to inspire and support our young people. There were resources I wished I had as a teacher, and as a parent- so why not create my own!
During Covid- as we all did- I found myself diving into technology in a new way, also using tech tools to support learning in ways that felt exciting and could reach a larger audience. That had me buzzing even more about ways that could support teachers, parents, and of course students.
Here’s a little story-
It was week 35 of school the week of May 2021. I chose the book What Do YOU Do With an Idea? as my focus for reading aloud and as the discussion starter for grade levels Kindergarten through 6th. It’s an amazing story of a child who has an idea but isn’t sure what they want to do with it. You can tell that the child doesn't really want it around, but eventually they become friends and the idea grows and becomes something that changes the world and makes everything more beautiful. It brings up natural emotions and human experiences like overwhelm, doubt, fear, confusion, judgment, bravery, and joy, just to name a few.
It’s an amazing story!
So- mid Covid, students were yearning for inspiration, (Weren't we all!) looking for the good as they were challenged to expand their emotional understanding of the world and all that we were navigating during that time (and that we still are!). I had moments where I found myself totally derailed, depleted and kept finding ways to get back up- ignite my own spark so I could show up for my students and for my family.
I had realized more and more that I needed to listen to my own advice- the advice I’d been showering my students with for years. “Think outside the box, do what you love, share your passion, show kindness, be bold, be you.”
I had BIG ideas about WHAT stepping out of the classroom and embracing a new idea could look like, but I knew it would require some major shifts and I was scared to listen, scared to make the leap and take that chance. Because let’s be honest- it’s scary. Think about it- have you ever had to switch schools or to mobe, or to start fresh, start that new job? It’s exciting and wonderful and scary and all the things, all the feelings. Even though I knew it in my gut, I knew it was time, I was afraid to listen.
SO- there I was reading the book What do you do with an idea? for probably the 20th time that week, (this time it was a group of 2nd graders) and I started getting choked up- because I realized at that moment, I was the child in the book. I had been protecting my idea, I had been carrying it around, I had tried to brush it off, I had said it was silly, not believed in myself that I could do it. But at that moment I realized it was my time for me to give my idea a chance.
Even though I was scared, nervous, sad to be leaving a community I love- I excited to take a leap towards something unknown and full of possibilities.
Although I’ve read the book countless times in my life. That day- the words had more power and a bigger message than ever before. In fact, I could barely make out the sentences, I was so emotional. I must have looked so silly to those second graders. I pulled it together, sat up a little taller and let the students tell me the messages. And I listened. I listened to them. They talked about the importance of believing in yourself. That you shouldn’t worry about what others say, that it's important to take risks, to try new things, and to let yourself shine.
So- my students were my inspiration. Thank you Kobi Yamada for being an inspiration. Because of you, I have given that idea a chance and now we’ve become friends.
As you know, I’ve taken the leap and stepped out of the classroom to give my idea some more attention and see where it takes me. I’m offering services and resources in a new way and am here to support you!
So, now you have a glimpse of the journey and inspiration to how Spark to Empower was born and with that the Spark Change Podcast.
Today I offer you to think for yourself:
WHAT inspires you?
HOW are you inspired?
and
WHAT do you do- when have that idea of inspiration?
Oh, for those of you listening who don’t own that book yet, you might as well get the whole box set: WHAT YOU DO MATTERS - because as you can see it is very powerful and it might in fact change your life! And remember, you don’t need to be a kid to own a picture book. I’ve read it a million times and it took that read for me to get the message in a new way. Thank you Kobi and thank you - I’m looking forward to saying THANK YOU soon, stay tuned for that!
Here is a little reminder that
Inspiration is all around us- when we stop and notice.
Dr. Tara Swart an MIT professor who focuses on neuroplasticity talks about how “Letting your mind wander will actually lead to more creativity.” So, giving yourself time to do nothing, actually helps you to become more open to creativity.
I leave you with that idea today, that when you give yourself time to pause to create space for nothing- you’re actually inviting in creativity, ideas and the inspiration will come.
Thanks so much for listening. ‘
More insights and inspiration soon and many more changemakers to share with you!
I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please share with a friend, leave a review, and let me know what you think. If you want to connect you can find me at
Sparktoempower.com that’s S P A R K T O E M P O W E R. COM
Or on Instagram @ spark to empower
Remember to:
Be kind
Be bold
Be you
Until next time, I’m Connie Maday.
Make it a great day, everyday.
